All Hallows Eve
by Icenectar
Summary: After getting annoyed with the explanation of Halloween, Vegeta leaves to do some solitary training. The place he chooses has some unexplained secrets and something he is terrified of...


Throughout the world during many different holidays, people dress up in costume. Those who dress up for every day occurrences or conventions are known as cosplayers. This story does not deal with cosplayers, however, but it does deal with one particular holiday known as Halloween. Costumes were originally worn to scare off any spirits of the dead that were lurking around but in this day and age it's more like a recognized day to dress up and receive various treats for their costumes.

"...So you see, that's why they're dressing up," Bulma finished explaining and Vegeta stared at her. He was already in a bad mood and her explanation as to why Trunks and Goten sat in the middle of the kitchen floor with scraps of fabric, glue, crayons and markers scattered about like the aftermath of a nuclear bomb was not lessening his mood.

"So you approve of this idiotic behavior," he said flatly.

"I just told you, it's traditional."

"I wasn't aware that your species had so many foolish activities."

"How is it foolish?"

"How does dressing up as some mythological beast or televised hero going to keep away a bunch of non-existent spirits?"

"How do you know it doesn't?"

Vegeta glanced away from her and Bulma folded her arms in satisfaction.

"Look Trunks! I'm an elephant!" Goten cried and he threw a bunch of papers into the air.

"Elephants don't look like that, dummy," Trunks said. "They're gray, not green."

"What are you making?"

"A mask. Don't mess it up."

"A mask of what?"

"A vampire."

"Why are they in the cooking area?" Vegeta asked and Bulma folded her arms once more.

"Because I don't have to worry about a mess in there. With the way you two eat, there's always a mess in the kitchen," she replied.

Vegeta growled in disgust and walked out of the room. Crayons, glue...fabric even. What a complete waste of time. That was the one problem with the woman, Vegeta decided as he walked out the front door. She put so much stock in frivolous activity that it was a wonder the boy got any training at all. He guessed that over-protectiveness was a downside of every species.

He lifted his eyes at the sound of an approaching hovercar and scowled. Goku's wife was on her way to pick up Goten and have an extended visit with Bulma. That was something he didn't need. Chi-chi always stayed longer than Vegeta thought was necessary and he had learned not to mention the fact that she was overstaying her welcome. Instead, he decided, that he would be better off spending the late afternoon somewhere else. He took off quickly in order to avoid Chi-chi as much as possible.

Chi-chi landed somewhat awkwardly and climbed out of the car. She fixed her hair and smoothed down her dress which had not changed styles since Gohan was young. Perhaps longer than that. She frowned as she made her way up to Bulma's front door. She would have to approach Goku with the idea of a new wardrobe when she got back. It wasn't like he was in charge of the expenses anyway.

"Hello, Chi-chi. The boys are cleaning up. They made a mess in the kitchen," Bulma said and Chi-chi folded her arms.

"I wish they'd all learn how to eat neatly," she said and Bulma smiled.

"They didn't make a mess with food. They were making costumes, although I think they made more of a mess than anything else. Oh, did you see Vegeta at all?"

"No. Did he run out on you?"

"Probably. He was in a bad mood earlier and then I tried explaining Halloween to him. He, of course, didn't understand and got a little upset over it."

"Goku wouldn't. He thinks it's a great idea. He just wishes he knew about it when he was younger."

"That sounds like Goku."

"Hi Mom," Goten said as he ran past Bulma.

"Did you clean up your mess, Goten?" Chi-chi asked and Goten nodded his head.

"Uh-huh. Do you wanna see what I did?"

"Of course I do."

"Come on inside, then. It's still gotta dry."

Vegeta by now, had flown a considerable distance when he noticed a ruined castle on the ground some thirty kilometers in front of him.

"How fortunate," he said aloud. "A place where I can cause as much destruction as I wish. I'm going to enjoy myself."

He soon landed near the castle, its gray crumbling stone covered partially in ivy and other creeping vines and he blasted an old, warped door into thousands of pieces and stepped inside. He pushed past some fallen down beams and a darkened candelabra then pushed back some cobwebs.

"This place is just begging to be destroyed," Vegeta said and began building up his ki. He then glanced around when an unnatural glow entered the room. A woman appeared, wearing clothing that Vegeta had never seen before. He growled in annoyance as he lowered his hands. What the hell was a woman doing in such a run down place to begin with? She crossed the floor, apparently unaware that she was not alone in the castle. She turned the corner and Vegeta stood still for a moment, unsure as to what he should do.

"Blast it!" he muttered as he ran after the woman. "Woman! What right do you have being..."

He stopped short as he stared at the hall that she had turned down. There was no one there. The movement of fabric caught his eye and he spun around only to find the rotting remnants of a curtain blowing in the wind.

He had imagined it, he decided as he walked back to the main hall. He was sure that it was a result of the conversation he had previously with Bulma about her stupid tradition called Halloween. He must have imagined the woman. He began to build up his ki once again then stopped when the woman appeared again and Vegeta scowled. What was going on? He couldn't be imagining it. There HAD to be a woman roaming the halls but why? Why would anyone be walking in the ruins of a castle? He followed her curiously down the hall again and watched her actions. She seemed to be upset about something.

"Woman! Woman why are you in a place like this? What are you searching for?" he asked then stared in disbelief as she disappeared in front of his eyes. What was going on?

He grumbled to himself and decided that he would go into another room to begin his destruction of the castle. He was a Saiyen after all and not borne of this world. He cared very little of the legends and superstitions of the humans and he refused to let an apparition get the best of him. He blasted his way into another, much smaller room and glanced around. The main hall would have been much enjoyable to destroy but he would have to do with what he could get.

"This time, no distractions," he said and began powering up for the third time. The sound of something chewing caught his ear and he frowned. Rodents. It figured. Nothing else sane would be living in such a run-down place. Nothing aside from rats, spiders, and that woman...

What WAS she doing there anyway? He growled in annoyance. None of this was lessening his mood like he had planned. He would have to stop wondering about the oddities of humans and began destroying the filthy place.

"No more. I refuse to be distracted any more by the stupidity of a woman," he said aloud and wiped everything out of his mind for complete concentration. The stone floor began to break apart as Vegeta's ki increased. It wasn't an extremely awe-inspiring feat because the floor was already cracked with age, but it made him feel better. He decided to use a simple attack to finish the castle off. There was no real reason to be flashy was there?

He glanced down at his boots then drew back suddenly. The ground underneath the floor fragments seemed to writhe. He stared at the ground in shock as numerous annelids undulated themselves as their sensory organs registered the sudden change in light. It was like the floor was pulsating eerily. He could feel his stomach churning violently at the sight and took a step backwards. Why was there such a vile creature in the universe anyway? He remembered the first time Trunks had picked up one of those disgusting creatures. He had thought it was fascinating. How could anything that moved like that be fascinating?

He continued his retreat, stumbling slightly over the broken wall pieces then tripped over a rotting chair. His back squarely hit the wall, the vibration causing more pieces of the castle to fall inward and Vegeta coughed violently as he tried to catch his breath and his senses. He picked himself up and waved a hand in front of him as an attempt to clear the air of dust. Disgusting creatures. He shook his head again and blasted a hole through the castle wall closest to him. He was tired of such a derelict place. The sight of those writhing creatures had made him lose all interest in destroying the castle. He didn't even care about the woman that was roaming aimlessly through the castle halls. Let HER be devoured by millions of worms, not him. He shook his head free from dirt, dust, and mortar as he stepped out of the castle onto the overgrown lawn.

Today, he decided, had just not been his day but at least he had avoided an encounter with Goku's wife. Although, he mused. Perhaps an encounter with Kakarrot's mate would have been less painful. No, I wouldn't want her thinking I approve of her visits because I don't. I just hope she's not there when I arrive.

"So where's Vegeta?" Goku asked as they waited for Goten and Trunks to finish getting their costumes on.

"I have no clue. He left early this afternoon and I haven't seen him since," Bulma said as Trunks came into the room wearing a cape.

"He was upset about something this morning," he said. "I don't know about what because I didn't get yelled at."

"Why can't we be Super Saiyens like we were last year?" Goten said and Chi-chi folded her arms.

"Absolutely not. You caused more damage as Super Saiyens than you do normally. I won't have any more small children frightened by your glowing hair and bodies," she said and Goten lowered his head.

"We didn't mean to," he said softly and Goku patted his shoulder.

"Don't get upset. You've got a lot of places to go to tonight. Plus lots of food and you don't have to pay for any of it! You can't beat that. Man, I wish I could dress up too," Goku said.

"Don't worry. We'll go all over to get enough food to share with you, Dad," Goten said.

"Hey...Dad's on his way. Should we stay and wait for him?" Trunks asked and Bulma shook her head.

"If we did, it would be too late to go anywhere. You want to go out, don't you?" she asked and Trunks and Goten nodded their heads wildly.

"I'll stay if you want, Bulma," Goku said.

"If you want to, Goku but he may still be in poor spirits. He hasn't exactly been bursting with joy today."

"Dad never bursts with joy, Mom," Trunks said as Chi-chi fixed Goten's costume.

"It's an expression, Trunks," Bulma said as Goten tried to pull away from his mother.

"Come on, Mom. It's good enough," he protested.

"I don't want you catching cold, Goten. There. Now we can go," Chi-chi said and Goten ran over to his father.

"I'll get lots of stuff, Dad so you can have something too."

"Just make sure you leave some for the other kids," Goku said as they walked out of the house. He watched them climb into one of Bulma's planes then sat on the stairs as he awaited Vegeta's return.

Vegeta soon arrived and he glanced at Goku, who he did not want to see. He had already known that Goku was there, for a Saiyen could sense ki from extreme distances, but he was hoping that perhaps just once, he had made a mistake. Goku stood up as Vegeta touched down and the Saiyen prince gazed at him in annoyance.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded and Goku held his hands out to signify that he stood on neutral ground.

"I came with Chi-chi to get Trunks to go candy hunting," Goku replied.

"They've already gone so why are you still here?"

"I sensed that you were returning. Where've you been all day?"

"I wasn't aware that it was your duty to keep surveillance on me."

"I was just curious, that's all. So where were you?"

"Kakarrot, do you believe in the spirits that humans believe in?"

"You mean, ghosts? I don't know. Sometimes I wonder how things get placed where I don't remember putting them...."

"That's probably your mate moving things because she thinks that they aren't put away properly. She does the same thing to me," Vegeta said and Goku looked at him.

"Chi-chi?" he asked and Vegeta shook his head.

"No my mate. I didn't think I needed to spell it out for you. Have you ever seen one?"

"Seen one what?"

"A spirit. An earth spirit."

Goku scratched his head as he thought. He then grinned in embarrassment and Vegeta folded his arms. Why did he even bother sometimes? He leaned against a tree trunk and closed his eyes momentarily. Goku watched him for a moment, trying to figure out what Vegeta was talking about. Had he seen something? It wasn't like Vegeta to act in such a manner, he knew and he was curious as to what had affected him so.

"I believe I saw one," he said and Goku looked at him.

"A spirit?"

"What do you think I'm talking about, Kakarrot?"

"How?"

"I went to find a place to get rid of some of this frustration and I found an old domicile. I was going to destroy the place but a damned woman kept appearing and distracting me. Then she disappeared each time I followed her to demand what she was doing in such a place. At first I thought it was my mind playing tricks on me but then I saw the woman two more times."

"Were you afraid?"

"Of course not. Why would I be afraid of a spirit?"

"Well I don't know. I know other people are," Goku said and Vegeta turned his attention to the sky.

"I hope those disgusting things devoured her," he said and Goku looked at him.

"What things?"

"Please, Kakarrot, I cannot even bear to think of those hideous creatures."

Goku gazed at him for a moment then shivered as a cool wind blew past him. He then glanced at Vegeta and pointed to the house.

"Maybe we should go inside," he said and Vegeta stood up straight.

"I believe that there is some dessert in the refrigeration chamber. Shall we check it out?" Vegeta inquired and Goku's face lit up.

"Sure! When do you think they'll be back?"

"I have no idea."

"Krillin said there was a special on the TV, want to see what it is? It had something to do with giant worms or something I think."

"No. I've had my fill of those creatures. Let's just get inside where it will be a bit warmer."

The two walked inside the house, shivering slightly as the crisp October wind blew past them. The skies darkened as the door shut but if either one of them had paused to gaze up at the full moon, almost completely enshrouded in the night's mist, they would have seen what looked like someone flying on a broomstick. Halloween. Perhaps it is a day full of traditions and lore, but one thing is for certain. Strange things happen on All Hallows Eve that do not happen on a regular day basis.

And what of the castle? Through Vegeta's actions, the woman that had been roaming the halls in search of her body for centuries has finally been laid to rest for underneath the squirming worms deep in the ground the bones of the woman that was once murdered in her home lie sleeping and now the soul sleeps peacefully as well. Perhaps he had not intended or even known what his actions would bring but the actions were greatly received.

Other actions were not greatly received however, for the Saiyen children in the frenzy of the season, went to every single house they could find and got their bags filled with candy and various other treats. The mothers, once the plundering for confectionery goodies was complete, immediately began to sort through things deciding on what to keep and what to throw out even before the boys had gotten their costumes off.

"Oh come on, Mom. We're not going to eat all of that at once," Goten said and Chi-chi looked at him.

"Of course you're not because we're not letting you keep all of it," she replied.

"Can we give some to Gohan and Dad? They didn't get to go."

"They're certainly not going to get all of this junk. Too much sugar isn't good for you."

"Well maybe Gohan can take some to school with him."

"We'll take these two bags home. I'm sure Bulma can get rid of the extra more readily than I can."

"I'll just donate the extra to some of the schools in town. I'm sure they'd appreciate it," Bulma said then looked at Trunks. "You'd better go and brush your teeth. It's late and you need to go to bed."

"Gee, Mom...." Trunks grumbled and Goten waved a hand.

"Bye Trunks," he said and Chi-chi pried a candy bar out of his hand.

"You need to brush your teeth too. I'm not letting you get any cavities because of this stuff," she said.

"But it was just a little one."

"No. Now let's go home."

The branches of trees scraped against the walls of the house as the inhabitants turned in for the remainder of the night. Spirits or no spirits, things always seem a little different on such a night. Perhaps not because of the costumes, the candy, or the myths but there is an aura over the day that resonates differently than any other day. Again, we must not forget that things are just a little different on All Hallows Eve. Even for Saiyens.


End file.
